ESL Steel Ltd has won the Nadidih iron ore block BICO in Koira area of Sundargarh in Odisha at a premium of 95.6%. The entire leasehold area of 73.855 hectare has been explored up to G2 level of exploration and has total geological resources of around 27 million tonne of iron ore.

A total of five companies were in the race for the Nadidih iron ore block BICO. The other four qualified bidders in this forward round were Ramgad Minerals, Rungta, AM/NS India and Odisha Metalliks. Low bids by Bhusan Power and Jagannath Power disqualified the two companies from the second round.

Odisha government has put 10 iron ore blocks under the hammer in this round. These include Nadidih BICO, Kasia, Gandhalpada, JumkaPatrishohi to name a few.

The bidding for 11 mineral blocks, for which notice inviting bids was issued on July 7, has started from 18 September. Total 123 bids have been received for these mineral deposits, of which seven are virgin blocks while leases of four blocks have expired. The blocks which are up for grabs in the auction process include Kasia, Nadidih (Bico), Nadidih (Feegrade), Teherai, Pureibahal, Chandiposhi, Jumka, Dholtapahar, Netrabandha Pahar (West), Gandhalpada and Karlapat. The bidders, who would bag these un-explored blocks, have to develop the blocks for mining.

Several firms, including JSPL, Adani, JSW, Tata Steel, ArcelorMittal, Essel Mining & Industries, Rungta Mines, MSPL, Vedanta and NMDC are in the race for the mines

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